בֶּ֫רֶד (be.red)
be.red
Bered
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun bered primarily means hail, describing the frozen precipitation that fell on Egypt during the plagues. This usage highlights its power as a natural force, serving as a dramatic element in the narrative of Exodus where it accompanies lightning and fire to strike the land.
Less commonly, the word functions as a proper name for two distinct figures or locations. It identifies a place in southern Palestine near Kadesh, situated close to the well Lahairoi mentioned in Genesis 16:14. Additionally, Bered is the name of an Ephraimite descendant listed in 1 Chronicles 7:20, tracing his lineage through Shuthelah and Eran.
The dual nature of this term reflects how ancient Hebrew often repurposed common nouns for personal or geographic identifiers. Whether referring to the destructive hail of judgment or a specific landmark in the Negev, the word carries a sense of weight and impact, anchoring both natural phenomena and human history within the biblical text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word bered appears in Scripture with a heavy, striking resonance. In Exodus, it describes the hail that accompanied fire and lightning, a vivid image of God’s power over nature. This imagery reminds us that the Creator commands even the most violent storms, turning chaos into a tool for His purposes.
Beyond the plagues, this same word anchors human history in specific places and lineages. It names a well in the Negev where Hagar encountered God, marking a moment of personal survival and divine provision. It also appears in genealogies, tracing the family lines that preserved Israel’s identity.
Whether seen as a force of nature or a landmark on a desert map, bered points to a God who is both mighty and intimate. He acts with overwhelming power in history, yet He also knows the precise locations of our struggles and the names of those who come after us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Bered1×
- Bered1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בֶ֤רֶד1×
- בָּֽרֶד\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 16:14
Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
This verse uses the word to identify a geographic boundary near Kadesh, grounding Hagar’s encounter with God in a real, tangible location.
-
I Chronicles 7:20
The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son,
Here the term functions as a personal name within the tribe of Ephraim, illustrating how common nouns were often adopted to identify specific descendants.